The present study was conducted to assess the general combining ability effects of parents and specific combining ability effects of hybrids for qualitative and quantitative traits and explore their use in hybrid development. Twenty one eggplant hybrids generated by 7 × 7 half diallel and evaluated along with their 7 parents and 2 checks. Seven elite parents viz., Pennada, EC-169084, Bhagyamati, Babajipet-1, Babajipet-2, EC-169089 and Tuni Local were crossed in half-diallel fashion and the resultant 21 hybrids along with parents and two checks viz., Arka Anand and VNR-51 were evaluated for combining ability, heterosis and stability at three locations viz., Nuzvid, Pandirimamidi and Venkataramannagudem during summer, 2017-18. Data were recorded on nineteen quantitative traits viz., plant height, number of primary branches per plant, days to first flowering, days to 50% flowering, days to first harvest, days to final harvest, number of flowers per cluster, number of fruits per cluster, fruit length, fruit girth, fruit length to girth ratio, average fruit weight, number of fruits per plant, fruit yield per plant, fruit yield per plot, fruit yield per hectare, phenols, ascorbic acid and fruit borer damage percentage. A perusal of per se performance revealed that crosses Bhagyamati x EC-169084 (3.45 kg), Pennada x EC-169084 (3.05 kg), Bhagyamati x EC-169089 (2.94 kg), EC-169084 x EC-169089 (2.87 kg), Babajipet-1 x EC-169089 (2.79 kg) and Babajipet-2 x EC-169089 (2.79 kg) were the most promising F1s for fruit yield per plant and other desirable traits over two checks, Arka Anand (2.52 kg) and VNR-51 (3.06 kg). Significant standard heterosis over two checks with regard to fruit yield and its components was exhibited by the crosses viz., Bhagyamati x EC-169084, Pennada x EC-169084 and Bhagyamati x EC-169089 in positive direction. Thus, it is concluded that four hybrids viz., Pennada x EC-169084, Bhagyamati x EC-169084, Bhagyamati x EC-169089 and EC-169084 x EC-169089 exhibited stable performance with desirable per se performance, sca effects and heterosis for fruit yield and other important traits.
